Let me introduce you to PAL – Perfect Alignment Laser. I use PAL for common machine embroidery tasks: finding the center of a quilt block or pocket, squaring my fabric/design in the hoop and continuous embroidery. First, I’ll show you how easy it is to set up PAL in your sewing room.

Once it’s set, use it to find the center of a project. Watch how quick this task is mastered.

If you struggle with hooping square, you’ll be amazed at how easy PAL can get you on the straight and narrow path to success.

PAL is great for hooping square but PAL is also ideal for more complex embroidery projects like continuous embroidery. I know many of you struggle with continuous embroidery. There are quite a few ways to tackle continuous embroidery. The old school method is to print templates of the designs and use them to connect the designs.

Stitch the first design. Remove the fabric from the hoop. Align the image on the template with the stitched design. Tape the template to the fabric. Hoop the fabric, centering the template in the hoop. Stitch the second design.

A newer method involves stitch marks or placement marks. Some machines let you add these stitches to a design while some software programs feature easily-positioned placement marks.

However you opt to add them, the method for stitching is the same. Stitch the first design with its alignment marks. Remove the fabric from the hoop. Hoop tear-away stabilizer and stitch the alignment marks in the second design. Spray the stabilizer with temporary adhesive. Align the marks on the stabilizer with the marks on the fabric. Press the fabric to the sticky surface and continue. Many embroiderers actually insert thumbtacks into the alignment marks on the stabilizer (tacks are inserted from the back of the hoop) and then puncture the fabric with the tacks for a seamless joint (image from Vol. 72 Designs in Machine Embroidery).

When I first witnessed this technique, I have to confess I was horrified. Rarely is there a garment I’m working on that I’m willing to shove thumbtacks through. But I did admire the accuracy. I think that’s what got me thinking about a new tool and that’s how PAL was born.

Now let me show you what PAL can do for you during the complicated embroidery process of continuous embroidery. Watch how PAL perfectly aligns one design to the next.

I have been having a ball using PAL in my sewing room. It’s perfect for beaming a straight line on the sewing machine bed so I can stitch accurate seam allowances. But I showed PAL to my sister. No, not my Stitching Sister, Marie. One of my other sisters, Liz Scully, the real artist. She’s a painter and immediately turned on PAL and beamed the crosshair on her canvas. Now she uses it to streamline proportion drawing and the like. She told me other crafters would love this tool too – scrapbookers, rubber stampers, cake decorators and more!

For more information or to purchase the Perfect Alignment Laser (PAL) visit our website.

Here’s your assignment this week:

Tell us what embroidery/sewing/crafting tasks you would use the PAL for and you could win a $25 shopping spree on the Designs in Machine Embroidery website.

Virginia Frazier

Rebecca

December 16, 2012 at 1:59 pm (6 years ago)

UNBELIEVABLE!
I was making 3d poinsettias for Christmas and got confused and took the part I just stitched out of the hoop. OH NO!
I thought all was lost, but no, wait. I got out my PAL and tried my best to rehoop my project. IT worked! I was able to restitch it and it ALL stiched out perfectly, whew, what a save!

Carol Seavitt

January 4, 2012 at 4:19 pm (7 years ago)

This looks like a great tool. Usually, I don’t hoop my fabric. The stabilizer is hooped and I draw my lines on the stabilizer and then on the fabric with iron off markers. If I could place the laser at different positions for each of my hoops, this would save me a ton of time with making sure I’m perfectly centered. Very cool tool!

Judy Lunsford

Linda Sorensen

January 4, 2012 at 4:29 pm (7 years ago)

I love “making” fabric, usually with quilting designs. Then I use the fabric for handbags. “Making” fabric requires alignment in 2 directions: top-to-bottom and side-to-side. Despite my best efforts the outcome has been a bit hit and miss. I then use fussy cutting to “hide” the mistakes; this is wasteful of precious fabric and thread. I think the PAL would make this adventure much more fun!

Sherrie Lilly

January 4, 2012 at 4:36 pm (7 years ago)

I will use it to finish the continuous borders on a quilt that I am embroidering now. I watched your short video on using the alignment marks and pal to line up continuous embroidery and the light in my head went off. Now they will be lined up perfectly. Thanks again for another great product.

Glenda

January 4, 2012 at 5:20 pm (7 years ago)

I seem to always have more trouble aligning horizontally. So I think the Pal would really be a great help with this and the vertical. There are soo many other uses for the Pal. A great addition to the sewing room.

Roxanne Ricchio

January 4, 2012 at 7:27 pm (7 years ago)

Yay!!!!! Just what I need!!! Centering designs and hooping is the
most difficult part of machine embroidery for me. This is so great. I will use this when embroidering on the purses that I make and everything else I embroider. Thank you!!!

Danni Armstrong

January 4, 2012 at 9:55 pm (7 years ago)

I would use it for continuous embroidering and for finding the middle of a design. I really like the idea of taking an embroidery design and running it around the bottom of a jacket and up over one of the shoulders of the back of the jacket to the collar. It would be such fun to play with.

Jolanda Ingram

January 4, 2012 at 10:16 pm (7 years ago)

Hi
I would use it for helping me to align embroidery on black fabrics.
I love to embroider on black and it always difficult to line up designs as you cannot really see through the material to aline and to work with templates as also difficult. I am from South Africa and here this product is not yet in stores so I would like to be the first.

LeAnne

January 4, 2012 at 10:21 pm (7 years ago)

PAL looks fantastic. I want one. I would use it for lining up my multiple-hooping projects and alignment on garments where you want to get it in just the right spot. Continuous borders would be great too. I really can’t think of anything I wouldn’t use it on.

I’m going to mention this to my sister who does a lot of needlepoint. It would sure make centering those designs on the canvas a whole lot easier than counting holes.

Bonnie Gray

January 4, 2012 at 10:58 pm (7 years ago)

I could have used this when I made a boat bag for a friend. Inused a marking pencil because I did not have an invisible marker that I could see on the fabric. After I had embroidered the design I tried to remove the markings but It took quite awhile to get them to disappear. I wouldn’t have had that problem if I had PAL for that project. I ordered it as a Christmas present for myself and can’t wait to try it out.

Shirley R

January 4, 2012 at 11:23 pm (7 years ago)

Ladies, let me tell you I could not wait to order one! I received it this week and it is absolutely everything described and more. What a joy it is to find the perfect center so easily! I’m working on a set of napkins right now with this tool. I urge you all to get one. It shows up easily on every fabric I have tried it on. This is a wonderful tool! And, last but not least, Thank you, Eileen, for making this available to us!

starrk

January 4, 2012 at 11:33 pm (7 years ago)

This is a great tool to help align those purchased things that don’t lay flat or are too small to work easily– sleeves, baby clothing, yokes with gathers, purses, hats, etc. Especially good on fabrics with a specific pattern like checks and stripes! Great to align machine smocking.

Patty Sack

Bridget Cheatham

January 5, 2012 at 9:44 am (7 years ago)

My husband loves the personalized t-shirts and caps I embroider for him…I can definitely see the PAL being a great help in that area. It’s pretty tricky to hoop square over a pocket, and the stiff fabric of a cap is so hard to work with. My machine has the ability to tweak a design that is not hooped perfectly, but it would be great to have it right from the beginning. Oh…and I must confess…I have the mega hoop for my machine and have never conquered a continuous design!

Vickie Yanik

January 5, 2012 at 10:25 am (7 years ago)

I am fairly new to machine embroidery, so I think this would be a great tool to have. I need all the help I can get in getting things lined up. I am a longarm quilter and I think it would come in handy for that too. Love your magazine!!!

Carol Morrow

Linda Guenther

January 5, 2012 at 11:08 am (7 years ago)

I would use this allign multiple embroideries when making a “window scene”. I have only made one picture and it was a challenge to line up the window panes. This looks like it would make that sooooooooooo
much easier!!

Donna G.

Jackie

January 5, 2012 at 2:54 pm (7 years ago)

I’d love to do a continuous border on a quilt I’m about to start. I would also use it to square up my wall hangings which for some reason are also a tad off in one corner or another. (still working on that) What a great idea!

Keri Tieman

Cindy McCord

January 5, 2012 at 9:15 pm (7 years ago)

Hi Eileen. Happy New Year!!! I can wait to use my PAL. I actually received 2 for Christmas – one from my husband and one from my best friend. So, my friend and I split the cost on one of them and we are giving it to our other good friend for her birthday this month!! I am excited to use it to center designs on my quilts.

Dawn Duke

January 5, 2012 at 9:28 pm (7 years ago)

In order to get the maximum size on a communion table design, the design had to be squared in the Grand dream hoop, and then rotated on the fabric for correct placement. This PAL would have saved a lot of time.
I’m new to your page, it looks most interesting.

Dani Beth

rose pryor

January 6, 2012 at 1:20 pm (7 years ago)

Wherever I would use pins or markers to make straight lines, or line up designs, or pattern pieces, or placement of designs within designs, on ready-made, and make to order. I don’t think I can live without it now!

Nancy Owens

January 6, 2012 at 7:18 pm (7 years ago)

Eileen, What a gem you have come up with. This little “sewing” tool can be used in so many ways. I personally have 2 sons getting married in 2012 and I know “Mom” will be very busy. I could use this little PAL to make sure the wedding quilts are without error. Thanks for the chance to win the shopping spree. More importantly, thanks for a new PAL!

Judith Carlon

Kathy Schmidt

January 6, 2012 at 8:59 pm (7 years ago)

What would I use it for…….absolutely all my embroideries, no more struggling with hooping & rehoopin & rehooping trying to get embroideries lined up squarely, which I do time & time again.
Love the Blog & all the helpful hints

Cheryl Bruce

January 7, 2012 at 8:47 am (7 years ago)

I have always had trouble lining up lettering and embroidery designs straight. I purchased a PAL recently, the more I use it the more things I find that I can use it with. Right now I’m thinking it would work great on lining up trims and wording on home made greeting cards. I’m finding it to be a very useful tool. Thanks for making hobbies more fun.

B Crowdis

January 7, 2012 at 7:07 pm (7 years ago)

I would use PAL to make sure my designs are embroidered straight. Sometimes this is a problem for me. I monogrammed some Christmas stocking that were already make and getting names straight is difficult.

Denice

January 7, 2012 at 7:42 pm (7 years ago)

Along with all the forementioned uses I would find PAL very handy for lineing up a group of different designs into a border. This is something I have found myself doing on a number of projects and it is allways a bit of a guessing game to get them right. I have at times had to add some extra fancy stitches to get things to look right when they ended up slightly miss-aligned.

Keri

Nancy Kiernan

January 8, 2012 at 3:16 pm (7 years ago)

I am the world’s WORST hooper. No matter what I do, whatever I try, I am always a bit off when finally finished. I have thought over and over–“I wish someone would invent something to make hooping perfect.” I have thought of dozens of things but nothing workable. I am working on a quilt for a shower for a great-grand child and can hardly wait to hoop the teddy bear on the quilt perfectly for a change. Cheers to the inventer.

Beth R

January 9, 2012 at 4:35 pm (7 years ago)

I have already used this to help me get towels correctly lined up in the hoop, and I plan to use it for endless embroidery and for correctly centering other designs. I am also working on display posters for an organization of which I am a member, and am going to use this to help me line up the different pictures and wording descriptions that are going on the posters.

I also used it to mark the upper design limit on each of my hoops – the upper part of the hoops for my machine is not used (it is extra space, I’m not sure why, but that’s how the machine embroidery system works); a few times I’ve found that I hooped fabric too high in the hoop. So I took the PAL, set it next to my machine, attached a hoop, and moved the needle to the upper limit of the embroidery area of the hoop. I marked each side of the hoop, and now I know when I’m hooping if I am getting close to the upper limit of my stitch area. Easier than guessing, and quicker than measuring each time!

Diane Cockman

Danni Armstrong

January 11, 2012 at 1:19 pm (7 years ago)

Not only could you use this tool for embroidery, but it could also be used for Quilting. It would be great for lining up points when you need to align a triangle to a square prior to stitching them together. The point has to be in the center of the square.

Diane Paul

Stacey Bible

January 11, 2012 at 10:43 pm (7 years ago)

What could I possibly use this on? How about everything! I love to embellish clothing for my daughters and my best friend’s grandbabies. This would be perfect for hooping tshirts, onesies, jackets, anything I could possible think of.

Karen

Lu Davis

January 12, 2012 at 10:10 am (7 years ago)

I am a “newbie” into the machine embroidery world. I can see this being used with everything that I would be hooping and stitching. At this moment in time I struggling with keeping everything lined up and getting it secured!! What a time savor!

Mary in AL

January 12, 2012 at 7:19 pm (7 years ago)

I can see endless uses for the PAL, but would probably use mostly for embroidery as I’ve always had difficulty getting my designs centered. Your e-reader cover is by the far the best and most professional- looking I’ve seen. Cant wait to get some must finish projects done so I can make it.

BarbsFolly

January 15, 2012 at 12:52 am (7 years ago)

I love making towels and tea towels as gifts and the hardest part is lining up the fabric to get it nice and square. The fun and easy part is embroidering. This will give me more time for the fun and make my job easier. Hooray for this great innovative product.

And the added feature of being able to sew straight seams is a super nice bonus.

Cathy

January 26, 2012 at 2:31 pm (7 years ago)

What would I use Pal for, everything. I have been looking for something like this for such a long time and have even tried to do a poor likeness of Pal on my own. Now that I have seen it I have to buy it. Pal look like a solution to my placement problems. Thank you!

Carol G

January 26, 2012 at 6:20 pm (7 years ago)

Eileen, hats off to you for bringing us such an innovative tool. All those alignment chores in machine embroidery would be so much easier with the help of PAL. In the past I called myself “The Hopeless Hooper” and though I have come up with some ways to make things work, none of them is as elegant as PAL.

I was especially intrigued with the continuous hooping use and everything you illustrated in your videos. One other thought was that it could be placed up on a box to elevate it and used with one beam on the selvage and let the other show the crosswise straight of grain. With a large piece of fabric I can never see the markings on both sides of my cutting mat. Straight grain lines for cutting out napkins or any item that is being made from scratch.

Kathy Spanjer

Ginny Harris

February 5, 2012 at 4:22 pm (7 years ago)

Hi Eileen,

Ilove to embroider, but because of having a stroke, which left me with a paralyzzed left side,
I have an extremely hard time hooping straight. Pal looks like a great tool to help me center designs. Thank you very much.

gwen

Evelyn Gonzalez

April 8, 2013 at 7:24 pm (6 years ago)

Hi – I’d use it for centering names and phrases, since embroidering one name is not so hard, but embroidering first, middle and last name is very challenging to center, and centering a phrase, such as “Love to My First Granddaughter, Love Grandma Rentia” could be a nightmare to center without a really good centering tool! I’ve been looking for a good centering tool for ages, but am unsure which is the best. Don’t have enough experience at embroidery to tell the difference between different methods of centering.

Dawn Satathite

August 17, 2013 at 9:30 pm (5 years ago)

I bought the Pal 2 (can’t remember just when), tried it and loved it. Then because of illness it wasn’t used for quite a while. Now I’m back to embroidering but the Pal 2 only works part time. It seems to have a short in it. Most of the time it doesn’t work. But it was great when it did work.

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